ETS Assessment Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A test developer discovers that several items on a high-stakes exam inadvertently advantage native English speakers over non-native speakers on a math test. What is the most ethical course of action?
- Publish the exam as-is and address concerns in the next revision cycle
- Flag and revise the items before administration to remove linguistic bias (Correct answer)
- Add a disclaimer to the exam noting potential language differences
- Administer the exam and collect post-hoc data before deciding
Correct answer: Flag and revise the items before administration to remove linguistic bias
Items that introduce construct-irrelevant variance (such as unnecessary linguistic complexity on a math test) must be revised before administration to ensure fairness.
Question 2: Under FERPA, which of the following individuals generally has the right to inspect a student's educational records without prior consent?
- A student's employer requesting references
- A journalist investigating school performance
- A school official with a legitimate educational interest (Correct answer)
- A parent whose child is enrolled in college
Correct answer: A school official with a legitimate educational interest
FERPA permits disclosure to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest without student consent, as defined in the school's annual notification.
Question 3: An educator shares a student's low test score with another student as a cautionary example, though the name is not stated but the student is identifiable. This action most directly violates which principle?
- Reliability of measurement
- Confidentiality of student data (Correct answer)
- Standardization of administration
- Content validity
Correct answer: Confidentiality of student data
Sharing identifiable student performance data without consent violates confidentiality, even when the name itself is not explicitly stated.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes 'washback' in assessment ethics?
- The effect a test has on teaching and learning practices (Correct answer)
- The process of returning scored tests to students
- The re-scoring of exams after appeals
- The statistical adjustment of scores after administration
Correct answer: The effect a test has on teaching and learning practices
Washback (or backwash) refers to the influence that a test has on curriculum, instruction, and learner behavior.
Question 5: A psychometrician finds that a licensure exam has adverse impact against a protected group despite the items being job-relevant. What is the most defensible ethical position?
- Discontinue the exam immediately
- Accept the results since items are job-relevant and investigate root causes (Correct answer)
- Remove items that show group differences in performance
- Lower the passing score to eliminate adverse impact
Correct answer: Accept the results since items are job-relevant and investigate root causes
Job-relevance supports test validity, but documenting and investigating the sources of adverse impact remains an ethical obligation.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a test security breach that specifically undermines score validity?
- An administrator arrives five minutes late to distribute materials
- Test items are posted online before the exam window closes (Correct answer)
- A student requests extra time without documentation
- A proctor forgets to collect scratch paper after testing
Correct answer: Test items are posted online before the exam window closes
Premature item exposure allows some examinees to prepare with actual test content, giving them an unfair advantage and invalidating score interpretations.
Question 7: According to the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education, test users are responsible for which of the following?
- Developing items that meet psychometric standards
- Selecting tests appropriate for the intended purpose and population (Correct answer)
- Setting industry-wide cut scores for licensure
- Publishing technical manuals for each exam
Correct answer: Selecting tests appropriate for the intended purpose and population
The Code of Fair Testing Practices places the responsibility on test users to choose tests that are appropriate for the specific purpose and the examinees being tested.
ETS Assessment Ethics 2
A test developer discovers that several items on a high-stakes exam inadvertently advantage native English speakers over non-native speakers on a math test.
What is the most ethical course of action?